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Photos: 2012 Ryder Cup on Friday, September 28

MEDINAH, Ill. — Any notion the Ryder Cup is some friendly contest, a better version of a country club scramble, ended when Jose Maria Olazabal announced his first two pairings.
Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 1 player, and Graeme McDowell, who delivered the winning point at Celtic Manor two years ago, will start Europe off Friday morning at Medinah. Then comes Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia, neither of whom has ever lost a foursomes match.
Win those two matches, and the Americans might never recover.
“We’re trying to win points. Period. That’s it,” Olazabal said Thursday afternoon. “We have to go for it. We are playing away. The crowds are going to be on their side. They set up the course to their liking. So you have to make a bunch of birdies out there to win points. Just send the best players out there.”
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